Saudi Arabia to open world’s tallest, fastest and longest rollercoaster

Falcon's Flight will whisk riders at speeds of more than 250km/h

Cathy Adams
Friday 05 February 2021 10:27 GMT
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Coaster

A new rollercoaster in Saudi Arabia is set to smash records as the longest, fastest and tallest in the world when it opens.

The Falcon’s Flight ride, the signature attraction of the Six Flags Qiddiya theme park, will whisk up to 20 riders on a 4km route at speeds of more than 250km/h.

One of the manoeuvres on the three-minute ride is a heart-stopping vertical dive into a 160m-deep valley using magnetic motor acceleration.

The 32-hectare park, just outside capital Riyadh, is set to open in 2023. It will have six “themed lands”, with 28 rides and attractions.

Qiddiya’s chief executive, Philippe Gas, says that the ride “won’t be for the fainthearted”.

“Falcon’s flight will dominate the skyline at Qiddiya, weave all the way around our destination, right out of the theme park, up the cliffside, and down the cliff face – the greatest drop of any ride in the world,” he said.

The Gulf nation, the largest in the region, has been slowly opening up to foreign tourists.

In September 2019, the country started issuing tourist e-visas to independent travellers from 49 nations, including the UK.

Tourism is a key component of the country’s long-term roadmap, called Vision 2030, which aims to bring in 30 million visitors annually by 2030 – which would put Saudi Arabia on par with Greece and Japan.

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